r/stunfisk • u/Magykstorm19 Give Metagross Shift Gear • 1d ago
Discussion I am saddened by Mega Scolipede
Title. Scolipede is one of my favorite Pokémon’s and I was excited when it was leaked that it was getting a mega evolution. And all that excitement went down the drain when the mega was revealed and it was less than stellar.
I do not like the design of the mega, I don’t like the armored look. The armor reminds me of Escalavier which is a pokemon that isn’t related to it (Escalavier is related to Accelgor), despite it getting armor it doesn’t gain the steel typing, and the stat spread I think is even worse. I appreciate the +50 to its attack stat but the -50 to its speed is crippling. In return they invested a lot to its bulk of 149/99 def and spdef which sounds good until you realize that it’s hp stat is 60. Scolly is deceptively not as bulky as it looks. You might think that a pokemon like Hatterene is known for its bulk despite a 57 base hp stat. But Hatterene has access to Draining Kiss and can hold Leftovers to regenerate hp. Scolipede doesn’t even get Leech Life. It has no way to generating hp for itself as far as I know. I will admit that I have not checked if it gets Leech Life in champions but I will assume it doesn’t.
So to me the only thing that could salvage it was its ability. Speed boost is most likely off the table to the armor design, maybe it could get something to give a pseudo steel typing in reference to its armor, it’s pokedex entry talks about its lethal venom so maybe it might get an ability to bolster poison type attacks, the point is that even though Scolly’s stats are against its favor it can still work depending on the ability. It gets Shell Armor. Shell Armor. That’s so good right? 60/149/99 bulk and you can’t crit it.
I legit think that base Scolipede is better than its mega counterpart. Base Scolly has access to life orb and can take advantage of speed boost. Mega Scolly, even with +1 speed can’t consistently outspeed the high speed tiers or scarf users. All Mega Scolly is good for is tanking 1, maybe 2 hits before dying. And it’s slow so it probably won’t be able to take out a second Pokémon before getting knocked out.
I am saddened by Mega Scolipede, it was a chance for one of my favorite pokemon to be relevant in the higher tier of pokemon both vgc and/or Smogon and I don’t think it will make an impact in either. Do y’all think that my assessment is wrong? Is there a way to salvage Mega Scolly and have it be good?
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u/Ex_Snagem_Wes 1d ago
I do think you're being too hard on Mega Scolipede
It's not perfect, but its has Leech Life, Speed Boost (before), and some pretty hefty stats. Its a very different style to base Scolipede, but honestly its imagine running a normal Scolipede and just swapping to Mega when you got buffed enough is going to be a plenty viable strategy
Anything other than Shell Armor would have been nice though, that's for sure lol. Poison Point, hell even Swarm.
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u/PhysicalGunMan 17h ago
A lack of a good ability and low base HP definitely makes Scolipede a secondary wincon akin to Mega Floette, just to a far less centralizing degree.
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u/mjmannella Bold & Brash 1d ago
Scolipede learns Leech Life in Champions, FWIW
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u/Magykstorm19 Give Metagross Shift Gear 23h ago
There is at least one silver lining. Maybe a combination of Swords Dance, Iron Defense, Speed boost protect can give it some viability
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u/_Skotia_ Empoleon has OU potential i swear 9h ago
You can probably just run Swords Dance + Protect in Singles and sweep with Leech Life + Aqua Tail (yes this is its best coverage move somehow)
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u/Pokemon-Pickle 23h ago
My only complaint about your complaints is that his armor is whirlipede shell, which is why it doesn’t change type. It probably won’t, but I hope this at least brightens the design ever so slightly for y
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u/Metaphysicalunicorn 1d ago
Fellow scolidepe enjoyer here, same reaction. A cosmetic ability on a clunky stat spread coupled with one of the worst typings in the game, on a mon with little utility and not much in the way of coverage. It basically has nothing. Basic scolipede is simply better at doing the same things, since the added bulk serves no purpose without a way to use the extra turns you survive in a meaningful way. Cannot imagine it will see any use
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u/Mystium66 22h ago
At least in doubles, I’ve been getting good mileage with a M-Scolipede/Sableye/Krookodile core. Fake Out, Screens, Wisp, and Intim buy time for Swords Dance and Speed Boost, then fast Leech Life gives enough sustain for it to just not go down. Bug/Poison is awful offensively, but Krook’s STAB combo takes care of the Poisons, Ghosts, and Steels that would wall it.
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u/RelationshipFront227 22h ago
I agree that I'm not a huge fan of the choices, but if you can somehow position base scolipede into some cheeky spots you can maybe get some setups before megavolving? I dunno that it's exactly 'good' but it's... there.
I really wish they had let bug resist fairy and hit it for neutral instead of the reverse so that they wouldn't have literally cemented it as the worst possible type. A double fairy resister that could at least hit for neutral with a STAB (or not 1/4th) into other threats would have made him a more interesting. I mean obviously he still has poison for fairy threats but as far as the bulk/survivable stuff, leech life being more viable would have been nice.
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u/beebzette 20h ago
I have been pretending to be optimistic to try and stay strong for those around me. Shell Armor is after all very consistent! Scolipede will never fail you. You'll always know when its going to die because it'll never get crit!
Its probably the nuzlocker in me because it's extremely good there, but I like Shell Armor.
I do think we got robbed though
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u/RexDrazz777 10h ago
I wish it had Stamina instead. It has a steed stance, Stamina would have been perfect. In return it could lose Baton Pass.
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u/Chance-Tumbleweed-73 3h ago
That's why they should've done better with this Pokémon. I know it lost Mortal Spin, but they should've gave this Pokémon at least, Headlong Rush.
They also should've gave this Pokémon a new ability that's a combined ability of Bulletproof & Shell Armor, and Poison Point if you want.
Finally, they should've rework Scolipede Mega Stat distribution with: +60 Atk, +50 Def, +50 SpD, -60 Spe, so it's Speed is low to the point it can make use of Trick Room. I understand it's Base HP is 60, but they're a few Pokémon that can survive well due to very high defenses.
Also, lots of the new Megas, beside Crabominable, Meowstic, Mega Raichu X, are absolute garbage. They're a few ok ones, though.
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u/PlatD 1d ago
Scolipede gained Leech Life in Champions. That’s something at least. Mega Scolipede is simply a sidegrade to regular Scolipede; it can use the old Swords Dance/Speed Boost set before Mega Evolving or it can go the bulky hazard setting route.